INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
President Donald Trump's demand for $5.7 billion to build a wall along US-Mexico border entered its 22nd day on Saturday, making it
weekend, warned of a much lengthier impasse and blamed Democrats."They're ones that are holding it up," he said during a telephone interview
with Fox News on Saturday night
"It would take me 15 minutes to get a deal done, and everybody can go back to work."Democrats say Mr Trump shut government in a "temper
tantrum" by refusing to sign bipartisan funding legislation last year that did not include money for his wall.The closure, which began on
December 22, broke a decades-old record by a 1995-1996 shutdown under former President Bill Clinton that lasted 21 days.Federal workers
affected missed their first paychecks on Friday, heightening concerns about mounting financial pressures on employees, including air traffic
controllers and airport security officials who continue to work without pay.Roughly 800,000 federal workers did not receive paychecks that
would have gone out on Friday
Some have resorted to selling their possessions or posting appeals on online fundraising sites to help pay their bills.Miami International
Airport said it will close one of its terminals early over next several days due to a possible shortage of security screeners, who have been
calling in sick at twice normal rate.A union that represents thousands of air traffic controllers sued Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
on Friday, saying it had violated federal wage law by failing to pay workers
It is at least third lawsuit filed by unions on behalf of unpaid workers.The head of US Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting
Mr Trump, has warned employees that financial stress can lead to depression and anxiety
Security Administration (TSA), responsible for airport security screening, said its rate of unscheduled absences rose to 5.6 percent on
Saturday from 3.3 per cent a year ago but that security standards have not been compromised.The FAA, which oversees air traffic controllers,
said on Saturday it had seen no unusual rates of sick leave among its controllers and no disruptions to air traffic control operations.To
support its workforce, TSA said it was processing pay for employees who worked on first day of shutdown and announced $500 bonuses for
uniformed screening officers.Mr Trump is considering a possible national emergency declaration that would end shutdown and allow him to
obtain his wall funding by circumventing Congress
But on Saturday, he told Fox News' Jeanine Pirro that he would rather Democrats take action, adding that he was waiting at White House ready
to cut a deal."I want to give them a chance to see if they can act responsibly," Mr Trump said, calling situation at nation's southern
border a "humanitarian crisis"."They think it's politics
I think it's bad politics
This country wants to have protection at border," Mr Trump said.Democrats, who call a wall an ineffective, outdated answer to a complex
problem, have passed several bills in House of Representatives to reopen government without funding for Mr Trump's barrier
But legislation has been ignored by Republican-controlled Senate.Mr Trump originally promised Mexico would pay for wall, which he says is
needed to stem flow of illegal immigrants and drugs
But Mexico has refused.US government departments including Treasury, Energy, Commerce and State departments, shut down when funding lapsed
Funding for other portions of government, including Congress and Department of Defense, was approved, allowing them to continue regular
operations.Mr Trump has repeatedly described situation at Mexico border as a "humanitarian crisis" as speculation has increased this week
that he would circumvent Congress to begin building his signature wall - a move that would be sure to draw a court challenge from Democrats
who say barrier would be barbaric and ineffective.Instead, president urged lawmakers to provide him $5.7 billion he is seeking for border
security.A national emergency would allow Mr Trump to divert money from other projects to pay for wall, which was a central promise of his
That, in turn, could prompt him to sign bills that restore funding to agencies that have been affected by shutdown.
